EU could break up ‘within months,’ says Asselborn

Luxembourg’s foreign minister has warned that the migration crisis and introduction of border controls between countries could lead to the collapse of the EU.

“The European Union can break apart. This can go incredibly fast, when isolation instead of solidarity becomes the rule internally and externally … We may have only a couple of months,” Jean Asselborn told the DPA news agency. Luxembourg holds the rotating presidency of the European Council.

He said the Schengen area of passport-free travel was under threat from the rise of national “solutions” to the migration crisis, and slammed far-right politicians who seek to make gains out of the crisis. “This false nationalism can lead to a real war,” Asselborn said.

EU officials have spent the past several weeks putting pressure on member countries to deliver on promises made to address the migration crisis, but “the risk [of Schengen coming to an end] is clearly there,” said Asselborn.

Authors:

Related stories on these topics:

ExLiberal

EU Bureaucrat fears EU breakup.
The people of the EU (who aren’t paid by the EU) HOPE for the breakup.

Posted on 11/9/15 | 5:01 PM CEST

GGM

Isn’t the problem that the crisis was caused by ONE NATION’s public statements. When one PM seeks to speak for the union and expects the other members to sit down, shut up, and deal with the mess she created, obviously the others are going to retreat to nationalism just as she has!! She insisted that all comers were welcome in Germany. Let her stand by her promises. Forcing far poorer nations (with far higher unemployment rates to boot) to aid her in her quest for a Nobel is beyond obscene!!

Posted on 11/9/15 | 5:54 PM CEST

Sag Ichnicht

@ExLiberal
Who gave you the authority to reperesent all the people of the EU? I certainly didn’t.

Breaking up the EU, especially over night is economical madness. It is not impossible though. But for reference of what happens when you break up a deeply integrated market over night look at the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, it pretty much broke up over night and it multiplied the misery from loosing a war even further to a considerable extend.

Only a fool could look forward to something like that, or an idealist who is ready to sacrifice a lot for some ideology (eg. nationalistm) or whatever.

Posted on 11/9/15 | 6:15 PM CEST

ExLiberal

@Sag
Who gave you the authority to insult people you don’t agree with?
And before calling others “fool,” perhaps you should learn to spell (“nationalistm” ?!?)
However, your comparing the EU to the Austro-Hungarian Empire is quite apt. The Empire was, after all, a similar multi-national hodgepodge ruled by someone who had no democratic mandate from the people.

Posted on 11/9/15 | 6:40 PM CEST

Nem, nem, soha.

@ExLiberal The breaking up of the Empire removed it from a position of strength in the balance of power in Europe. At the same time Germany was left largely intact, severely punished but was given the great gift of democracy. The people made use of this new found power to mandate an end to the injustices, real or perceived, they gave the world Adolf Hitler. Germany was in a position stronger than ever before in central Europe. No need to describe the rest. There is a clear distinction between the EU beaurocrats and Franz Joseph, the latter needed to keep the good will of the nationalities. Can you imagine the geniuses at Brussels accepting national sovereignty within the framework of the EU? This is what Franz Joseph did when he finally( after some blood was shed) gave in to the idea of the dual monarchy. The Arch Duke was pressing him to extend it to other nationalities before he was shot. The powers, which most benefited from the break up are running the EU today.

Posted on 11/9/15 | 10:09 PM CEST

Thucydides

It does not seem to occur to Mr. Asselborn that there may be other scenarios for the European Union’s midterm future besides “ever closer union” and “total disintegration”. For example, “learning from mistakes”.

Posted on 11/9/15 | 11:42 PM CEST

AttilasDaughter

If the refugee crisis manages to break up the EU.
I would fly to Germany to shake every Syrians hand.
Thank You. Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
Sometimes good things come in ugly packages.

Posted on 11/10/15 | 12:21 AM CEST

AttilasDaughter

@GGM
The move to the right did not start this summer.
Not even in Germany.
In France and Sweden it has to do with high Muslim immigration.
In Poland and Hungary it is the fear of it I guess.

Posted on 11/10/15 | 12:27 AM CEST

Michael court

Britain needs to get out as soon as possible the ship is sinking we need to abandon ship English First migrants must have to be migrants not been vetted just letting lottery are terrorists how wealthy migrants to be able to afford to pay for the crossing wake up EU I wake up Cameron

Posted on 11/10/15 | 1:17 AM CEST

fucktheeu

It cannot happen soon enough.

Posted on 11/10/15 | 2:36 AM CEST

Alan Ritchie

Isn’t it amazing that the real drivers of the breakup of the EU are the rabid Europhiles who see everything through the prism of ever closer union/ever reducing national sovereignty? In doing so they are attempting to go in the opposite direction to substantial parts of national electorates
Brexit/Grexit/ or EU breakup are a bit like Y2K – exercising a lot of debate & scaremongering but in reality one week afterwards who would really notice the difference?

Posted on 11/10/15 | 10:25 AM CEST

Milton38

I fully agree with the potential result of unbridled mass migration.
One seems to forget that before this disastrous WW1 there were borders everywhere and yet travel was easier than for the next almost 100 years.
We also seem to forget that when Germany stood to be united there was no explosion of goodwill and well-wishing but most of Germany’s “friends and allies” were, if not directly opposed, none too keen to see this happen.
Europe is not a country but what in German is so aptly called a ‘Zweckgemeinschaft’, a partnership based not on love but for pragmatic reasons; most wanted to benefit from the German economy.

When it breaks up, it is because Mrs Merkel has overstretched the ability of the country to accept all these migrants and the other states do not want them and if they can’t get money they will leave.

Posted on 11/10/15 | 7:54 PM CEST

sam klee

Mr Asselborn has pity for the Palestinians (only) He “was able to feel the fear” He calls the latest unrest a “spontaneous Protest”. Mr Asselborn, you are not ashamed? The palestinians go out to kill jews with knives and cars and you feel they fear? you are nuts! It is the Israelis who are afraid to go out of their houses! To call stabbings and car attacks a protest is a strange way to see things Mr. Asselborn. You were drunk when Abbas talked in the UN and called for the uprise?!

Posted on 11/11/15 | 1:27 PM CEST

Anna Meyer

That’s what I have ben hoping for for years. May this EU dictatorship end as soon as possible!

Posted on 11/11/15 | 10:51 PM CEST

Thieves Thieving

Maybe tax haven going by the name of Luxembourg has something to do with this? I mean if you would stop stealing from other countries budgets, that would be a good beginning, no?